[Cardiac amyloidosis: an analysis of five cases]

Five patients with the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis established by autopsy and biopsy of noncardiac tissue were reported. All of the patients had cardiac dysfunction. Echocardiogram showed symmetrical thickness of left ventricle, increase of heart weight and reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction. Only two cases had "granular sparkling" on the ventricular wall. The clinical findings of cardiac amyloidosis are arrhythmias, conduction disturbances and intractable heart failure. Echocardiographic examination may reveal cardiac involvement and severity of pathological involvement and predict prognosis. The "granular sparkling" is not a specific feature for the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis. Biopsy of either noncardiac or cardiac tissue is required for correct diagnosis.